5 true freshman already taking college football by storm after Week 1

Week 1 in the college football season wasn’t just about the marquee matchups between the top teams ahead of the season. It was also a chance to see the true freshman that got a chance to play right away to start their respective college careers. Bryce Underwood had the biggest spotlight on him as the No. 1 player in the 2025 recruiting class. 

His eight-figure NIL deal made him almost unavoidable as Michigan’s starting quarterback this season. And he lived up to the hype in Michigan’s big win over New Mexico in his collegiate debut. He wasn’t the only true freshman quarterback to debut in Week 1 either. Here’s a look at five of the true freshmen that made an impact Week 1. 

QB Malik Washington, Maryland Terrapins

Though Maryland didn’t play the toughest opponent they could in the season opener, Malik Washington made the most of his collegiate debut. He passed for 258 yards and three touchdowns in the Terrapins’ 39-7 win over Florida Atlantic. He couldn’t have asked for a better start, considering he’s playing for his home-state’s team. 

Maryland finally has something to talk about with Washington. They’ve sifted to the bottom of the Big Ten conversation and conference realignment has made them virtually irrelevant. It will be unavoidable to talk about Washington this season and his Week 1 debut is proof the Terrapins have a good one.

The question is, will Maryland be able to retain Washington? I won’t get ahead of myself. For now, he’s Maryland’s quarterback and he’ll be a name you’ll hear for quite some time if he continues to play the way he did in his debut. 

QB Bryce Underwood, Michigan Wolverines

Bryce Underwood might be the only true freshman in the country with the pressure to win in year one. The Wolverines have been a quarterback away for quite some time. They skated by with J.J. McCarthy a few years ago, winning a national championship, but last year proved they can’t rely on mediocre quarterback play to win games.

Underwood threw for 251 yards with a touchdown pass in his debut and it’s the perfect start to the year for a player that has sky-high expectations. Underwood doesn’t have to be a Heisman candidate by any means, but he does have to consistently play well while also winning. If Michigan can rely on him this year as they look to beat Ohio State for the fifth straight season, that will go a long way to him taking this team on a College Football Playoff run.

WR Vernell Brown III, Florida Gators

By now, you've seen Vernell Brown III’s unreal, one-handed catch in Florida’s, Week 1 win over Long Island last week, if you haven’t a simple google search will give you everything you need to dissect the play. We’re not here to dissect that play, though, rather highlight why that play means he’ll be an impact player for the Gators’ offense this year. 

DJ Lagway can’t afford to have limited weapons so the fact that his success is tied to freshman and Brown at that, well so far it looks like he’s in good hands. No matter how good a quarterback is, they’re only as good as their skill players and Brown is a fantastic weapon to have, as he showed Week 1. 

Between Brown and Dallas Wilson, this freshman class at Florida will have a lot on their plate to make sure this offense doesn’t regress. Brown showed he’s not going to hold Lagway or this offense back, which is a great sign considering the expectations and the challenge Florida’s schedule poses. 

DB Graceson Littleton, Texas Longhorns

Yes, Texas lost its season opener to Ohio State, but one of the bright spots in the game was Graceson Littleton. I couldn’t help but be enamored with how he played. He was tasked with shadowing Jeremiah Smith and he not only did a decent job with that, but he also managed to make a big play against Smith. As a true freshman, he showed just how ready he is to be an x-factor on the Longhorns’ defense. 

If that wasn’t enough, he was graded with a 83.3 PFF College grade, which was the highest grade for a true freshman in Week 1. If Littleton, who can play safety and slot, continues to be a player that can defend the fastest players on the field, he’s going to be a problem. The fact that he was able to help the Longhorns contain the Buckeyes’ passing game, holding Julian Sayin to just 126 passing yards, that’s a great sign. 

The Longhorns may want to disregard a lot of what happened against Ohio State. The one thing they can’t give up on is Littleton. He’s a player that’s going to get a lot of attention this year and be a freshman that, like Jeremiah Smith a year ago, can’t avoid the big stage. 

DB Demetres Samuel, Syracuse Orange

Demetres Samuel had an eventful Week 1. He was picked on by Joey Aguilar and the Tennessee Volunteers in his first collegiate football game. But he didn’t get knocked down with every blow the Vols threw at him. He made a couple tackles and had a key pass breakup, despite getting torched on a 73-yard touchdown play.

The fact that Syracuse coach Fran Brown isn’t worried about Samuel’s hot-and-cold performance, that’s a sign this early test will be better for him as he continues to go through the natural challenges of a true freshman season. He came to Syracuse as an early enrollee and is still 17 years old. The ceiling is high for him and you could see that in Week 1. He didn’t have the best game, but it showed his potential. Don’t be surprised when you hear him being a lockdown defender at some point this year.